LE

What! You read the article in PANTO's paper but missed the part about not discussing this on certain internet chat rooms.
Naughty, naughty.
The ideaâs crap why after 30 odd years of the STT qualification do we now need a badge?
If they want to give us something â give us more money.

So is this a measure to encourage AT(O)s to become HT trained (IOT reduce the effects of over stretch) or is it just to big up those who already are? Has the fact that it will make second class citizens of those without the wreath been considered? I always though you could tell a HT trained guy by the letters after his name or the number of leathermans he carried; seems like someone is bored!

Old-Salt

So is this a measure to encourage AT(O)s to become HT trained (IOT reduce the effects of over stretch) or is it just to big up those who already are? Has the fact that it will make second class citizens of those without the wreath been considered?

I think that is exactly its purpose. There is - and has been for decades - a dichotomy in the trade between those who are HT (or all its previous names) and those that aren't. If identifying the HT qualified blokes means that the rest feel compelled to become HT qualified in order to cease being 'second class citizens' (not my choice of phrase) then the badge will have served its purpose. This is exactly what para & cdo units do with their little badges - big up those that are in the gang in order to get more people to join it. Personally I'd rather have a stack of cash by way of recognition, but I must respect the fact that badges are cheaper.

Ford_Prefect said:

I always though you could tell a HT trained guy by the letters after his name or the number of leathermans he carried; seems like someone is bored!

Old-Salt

I don't particulary think that the suggested HT AT badge will cause more "them and us" feeling within the trade than exists already. As for the badge encouraging non HT ATs to pass the course.......if simple peer pressure and trade expectation has not worked, then a small piece of cloth will not make much difference. Whilst the policy on qualification in relation to promotion remains as it is, each AT can make the choice as to their leaning (ammo or EOD) and be employed on the same rates of pay with equal promotion chance.

All it will really mean is that HT Ops will have to either spend an entire weekend sewing the little buggers on, or carting half their 1157 to the tailors. What next, swagger sticks for AMANDA qualified ATs?

Swinger

My whiskey fuelled synicism leads me to suspect that this is more to do with entrenching the HT capability against assault from the massed arguments of "generic" and "universal" EOD advocates. The trade is small, we all know each other and know who has attempted what courses, how many times, passed, failed, DSed by whom etc etc. No badge is going to give any cudos or recognition beyond what people have earned (or not) amongst their peers and frankly outside of trade nobody gives a stuff anyway. The "Class A" and "Class B" AT(O) quals seem similarly superfluous to me.
The fact that the individuals concerned are the only ones with the ability to do that job (at least twice) must stand on its own merits in justifying the HT course and I can't see a new badge making anyone's week. Mind you, I won't be getting one anyway so feel free to disregard as bollokcs if you like.

Hmm.....if I wanted a badge sewing on upside down I'd probably do it myself

It will all probably go the same way as the fabled No2/Driver badge that was suggested. Funnily enough, they were not too impressed with a cloth wheelbarrow badge. Something about "would rather get paid extra instead" springs to mind.

ADC

It will all probably go the same way as the fabled No2/Driver badge that was suggested. Funnily enough, they were not too impressed with a cloth wheelbarrow badge. Something about "would rather get paid extra instead" springs to mind.